Knit the Season

by Kate Jacobs

  “And you are going to live with your grandparents, kid?” asked KC.

  “On the weekends,” said Dakota. “I still have school, you know.”

  “This is something else,” said KC. “Well, I’m still coming here every Friday. I hope you know that, Dakota. I expect muffins.”

  “She’s not been taking things well,” said Darwin, quite loud enough for all to hear. “So, maybe we shouldn’t tell her we got a little nibble, Lucie, about Chicklet.”

  “That’s our positive television programming for young girls,” Lucie told Bess. “We kind of function as part knitting club, part support group, part career coaching, around here.”

  “And we’ve been invited to make a pitch to some new investor-producers,” said Darwin.

  “Where? Out in LA or something?” said KC, catching Catherine’s eye. “Remember that night at the movies? I said it: Everyone is just going to move apart. The Friday Night Knitting Club blown to smithereens.”

  “Oh, no, KC,” said Anita.

  “Not moving apart, I don’t think,” Dakota said thoughtfully. She finally brought forth a box of chocolate chocolate-chip muffins from her backpack and presented the largest one to KC. “There’s a tremendous difference between moving away and moving apart. Just because we’re not together in a physical way doesn’t mean we’re any less together. That’s something I learned because of my mom. And I believe it.”

  “So, then we’ll have club meetings over the Internet?” asked KC, taking a nibble at her muffin and then immediately taking a second, larger bite.

  “If we have to,” said Dakota.

  “We’ll still see each other,” said Peri. “You know you’re flying over in just a few months. And of course we’ll talk.”

  “And one meeting does not equal a move to LA,” said Lucie.

  “Or packing up everything for wine country in Italy,” said Catherine. “Did I just say that?”

  “Why are you so damn nonchalant?” KC said suspiciously. “You’re changing, kiddo.”

  “I am,” agreed Dakota. “I have. Maybe it was hearing the memories of my mother. But I’ve finally figured out this place has a story and we’re all a part of it. It doesn’t matter what changes. All that simply adds to our history.”

  She leaned into the stiff door to get it to open, struggling to make her way in without jostling the baby’s calm sleep.

  Inside remained a stack of old boxes lying in a corner of the back office and a faded yellow sofa, although Marty had mostly swept the room. Still. A good cleaning—and polishing the deep wooden floors on her hands and knees—would certainly bring this room alive, thought Georgia, striding across the room to catch a sunny view of Broadway. She opened the window, ever so slightly, to fully appreciate the honking, vibrating city one floor below.

  This was it: her own shop in Manhattan.

  Georgia studied the space, as she’d done for weeks, visualizing just where she would place the shelving, the register, the table. She imagined a future in which her yarn shop would be crowded with customers and her daughter sat on a stool while she rang up sales.

  Dakota, all soft cheeks and dimpled knees, yawned and stretched, secure in her mother’s arms, opening her eyes wide and staring as Georgia slowly turned in a circle to show her absolutely everything.

  “This will be our shop, baby girl,” she whispered. “This place will always be Walker and Daughter.”

  acknowledgments

  True confessions: I came very close to skipping a family reunion as I was writing this story.

  You see, husband, dog, and I drove up from our cozy home in California to soak in the natural beauty of Hope, British Columbia, Canada, where the extended family get-together was to be held, and I immediately squirreled myself away to write. But somewhere between hearing the hum of happy voices and the squealing of young cousins meeting one another for the first time I realized, like Dakota, that perhaps I needed to reassess my priorities. So I stepped away from the computer, and I’m tremendously glad that I did. What fun to catch up with everyone! That weekend also refreshed my perspective and provided some clear thinking amid the chaos. Ultimately, I rewrote large parts of this book and ended up with quite a different story altogether. Living the themes and not just typing about them.

  It takes a team to publish a book, and I so appreciate the cheerlead ing and sage advice from my dream agent, Dorian Karchmar of William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, and the invaluable support from her assistant, Adam Schear. Heartfelt thanks to everyone at Putnam and at Berkley, including Ivan Held, Leslie Gelbman, Shannon Jamieson Vazquez, Kate Stark, Stephanie Sorensen, Melissa Broder, and my insightful and talented editor, Rachel Kahan. I remain ever grateful to everyone in sales, marketing, publicity, editorial, production, and design for all of their efforts.

  I’m lucky to have a dear group willing to read (and reread) early chapters. This list of names hardly changes from book to book, which says something about the amazing support and commitment of these women and why I’m lucky to call them my dear friends: Rhonda Hilario-Caguiat, Kim Jacobs, Shawneen Jacobs, Tina Kaiser, Rachel King, Sara-Lynne Levine, Alissa MacMillan, Robin Moore, and Christine Tyson. And thanks to Dani McVeigh for all her efforts designing my Web sites and helping to test recipes in my kitchen.

  This story is special to me for many reasons, not least because I worked on the story mere steps from where my family typically gathers for our holiday meals. Although my dog, Baxter, who typically keeps my feet warm as I type, all but abandoned me for chasing tennis balls with his dog cousins and the chance to take daily swims in the Coquihalla River, I was hardly alone. My mom, Mary Lou Jacobs; my husband, Jonathan Bieley; and my sister-in-law, Shawneen Jacobs, eagerly discussed the pros and cons of rice flour in the shortbread and how many cranberries are just a bit too many in the muffins. I cobbled together leftover yarn, almost the same age as I am, from the top shelf in my mother’s sewing room to stitch some easy patterns. Even my nephews, Kevin and Craig Jacobs, willingly made room for my laptop and my notes amid the LEGOs, going so far as to create my very own “Auntie Kate’s Office: Do Not Disturb” and “Please Knock” signs to keep interrupters away. (Thanks, fellas!) As always, I worked on this book at odd hours and in all sorts of places, from my kitchen table in California to my mother’s desk in Hope to accompanying the boys on the Whistler Mountaineer train, scarcely able to keep my eyes on the page because of the gorgeous scenery distracting my attention.

  Above all, I want to let you know how sincerely I appreciate your support. Go on and send me an e-mail at katejacobs.com, pop in to book signings, and invite me to telephone your book groups. I’m grateful to hear from everyone who reads my stories. Because together we’re all just members of the club.

  knitting patterns

  ginger’s easy bookmark

  The idea is to use up the odds and ends in your stash and experiment. Bookmarks are a good way to try out new stitches and make lovely small gifts, perfect for Hanukkah or for stocking stuffers. Below is an easy pattern, with a seed-stitch border around reverse stockinette.

  needles: Smaller is better. You want a thinner bookmark to fit between the pages. Opt for number 3 or 4.

  yarn: Opt for lightweight. If you want to be more playful, use self-striping or sparkly novelty yarns.

  the pattern: An easy seed-stitch border around a reverse stockinette center. You’re just using the knit and purl techniques in varying combinations. Go to www.katejacobs.com for detailed directions about knitting basics.

  Cast on 12 stitches

  For border:

  Row 1 and 3 : k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1

  Row 2 and 4: p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1

  Row 5 (and all odd rows after row 3): k1, p1, k1, p6, p1, k1, p1

  Row 6 (and all even rows after row 4): p1, k1, p1, k6, k1, p1, k1

  Once the desired length is reached, finish off with four rows of border (following the stitch pattern for rows 1 to 4) and cast off.


  Now you can hold your place in the story while you try out some of the recipes!

  georgia’s holiday garland

  The beauty of this project is that everyone—especially kids—can play a part! Remember the fun of making garlands from colored construction paper? This pattern applies the same approach to knitting. Simply create similar-sized long rectangles that you can interlock by folding around one another and sewing up the ends, thereby making a knitted garland you can either put on a Christmas tree or use as a wall decoration. Switch up the colors to fit in with your holiday decor.

  needles: Opt for number 13 for a chunkier ring, or use number 4 for a more delicate circle.

  yarn: Mix and match colors and textures for a varied look, or simply alternate two colors for a more coordinated appearance. The options are endless!

  the pattern: Aim to make the rings similar in size—rectangles 8 inches by 2 inches work well. You can either use all the same stitching or vary the stitches used for the rings.

  Cast on an even number of stitches (such as 12)

  Garter-stitch rings:

  All rows: Knit the stitches.

  Cast off, but leave a long enough tail of string to sew up the ends together, forming the rings.

  Rib-stitch rings:

  Row 1 (and all odd rows): k2, p2, repeat to end.

  Row 2 (and all even rows): k2, p2, repeat to end. (Think of it as knitting the knits and purling the purls.)

  Again, leave a long tail when you finish casting off.

  Take the first rectangle, twist it around to bring the ends to touch, forming a ring, and—using a crochet hook—use the long tail of yarn to sew the ends together. Then take a second rectangle, loop it through the first sewn-together ring, and connect the ends of the second rectangle, again sewing it together. Continue until your garland is as long as you like, and voilà! You have created a truly unique decoration that your family can enjoy for years to come.

  recipes

  dakota’s thanksgiving pumpkin spice muffins

  Easy holiday snacking while you wait for the turkey! Makes 18-24 muffins

  Ingredients

  2 cups all-purpose flour

  1 tsp. baking powder

  1 tsp. baking soda

  ½ tsp. cinnamon

  ½ tsp. nutmeg

  ¼ tsp. ground ginger

  ⅛ tsp. cloves

  ⅛ tsp. allspice

  ½ tsp. salt

  4 eggs

  4 tsp. unsalted butter, softened

  ¾ cup brown sugar

  ½ cup sugar

  1 cup canned pumpkin puree

  ½ cup molasses

  1 tsp. vanilla

  1 cup chopped cranberries (chop while frozen)

  Optional: • Streusel topping (recipe follows)

  • ½ cup pecans, chopped; you can also add a whole candied pecan to the top of each muffin

  • Replace individual spices with 1¾ tsp. pumpkin-pie spice

  Directions

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees (and make sure the rack is positioned in the middle). Line muffin pans with paper liners.

  In a large bowl, sift or whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.

  Beat eggs and set aside.

  In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy, then mix in pumpkin, molasses, and vanilla. Add beaten eggs.

  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet mixture, stirring until just barely combined.

  Fold in chopped cranberries.

  Fill muffin cups ⅔ full. Top muffins with streusel, if desired (see the following recipe for the topping).

  Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

  streusel topping

  Makes enough topping for muffin recipe above

  Ingredients

  2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

  ½ cup sugar

  ¼ Tbsp. cinnamon

  4 Tbsp. cold butter

  Directions

  Combine dry ingredients.

  Cut in cold butter, using a pastry cutter or two knives held in one hand, until just crumbly. (Butter in the mixture should become similar in size and shape to peas.)

  Sprinkle on tops of muffins before baking.

  gluten-free pumpkin muffins

  Just as tasty but without the flour!

  Makes 6 muffins

  Ingredients

  1 egg

  1 tsp. vanilla extract

  ¼ cup brown sugar

  ½ cup canned pumpkin puree (note: NOT pumpkin pie

  filling!)

  1¼ cup gluten-free baking mix (for example, Pamela’s Baking

  and Pancake Mix)

  ¼ tsp. cinnamon

  ¼ tsp. nutmeg

  ⅛ tsp. allspice

  ⅛ tsp. mace

  ¼ cup water

  ¼ cup chopped frozen cranberries or chocolate chips

  Directions

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin pan with butter.

  In a medium bowl, beat egg and vanilla together with a fork.

  Mix in brown sugar and pumpkin puree.

  Mix together the baking mix and spices, and add it to the wet mixture. Stir in water and add berries or chocolate chips.

  Spoon into muffin pan.

  Bake for 18-20 minutes. Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

  anita’s hanukkah latkes

  The traditional potato pancake favorite!

  Makes 18-22 latkes depending on size

  Ingredients

  1 large white onion

  2 eggs

  1 tsp. kosher salt

  ½ tsp. black pepper

  2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

  1½ tsp. baking powder

  2 lbs. potatoes (the starchier the better; try Russets)*

  ¼ cup vegetable oil

  Optional:

  Add 1 cup grated apples for a sweet touch.

  Directions

  Using either a hand grater or a food processor, grate the onion into a bowl.

  Separate the eggs, and lightly beat the yolks in one bowl; beat the egg whites until stiff in another bowl.

  Mix onions, egg yolks, salt, pepper, flour, and baking powder.

  Grate the potatoes quickly: Grate 1 potato, place gratings into a cheesecloth, and squeeze as much liquid out as possible, discarding the liquid. Place the gratings in with the onion mixture and stir. Repeat for all potatoes. Add more flour if excess liquid forms.

  Fold in egg whites.

  Heat ¼ cup oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet (the oil should be ¼ to ½ inch deep) to very hot (about 350 degrees).

  Spoon the mixture (about 2 tablespoons for each pancake) into the oil and spread into flat, round pancakes with a fork. Place about 3 to 4 pancakes into the oil at a time. Fry until the underside is browned, about 5 minutes. Flip once. Place on paper towels to drain. Add more oil if necessary, letting the oil return to temperature between each batch of pancakes.

  Place a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet, and keep latkes warm in a 200-degree oven. Serve warm with traditional toppings, such as sour cream and applesauce, or offer smoked salmon and caviar as accompaniments. You can also experiment with using grated sweet potatoes or half a zucchini for different flavors.

  Alternately, make the pancakes the day before and keep them wrapped in the fridge. Reheat in a 350-degree oven, on a rack over a cookie sheet, for about 5 minutes.

  *note: Keeping the potato skins on can add a more intense flavor. If you do choose to remove the skins, keep the peeled potatoes in cold water to prevent them from browning before cooking, and dry them thoroughly before grating.

  gran’s scrumptious shortbread

  Melt-in-your-mouth delicious!

  Makes approximately 24 small cookies

  Ingredients

  1 cup butter, softened

  1 egg

  ¼ tsp. vanilla

  1 cup icing or confect
ioners’ sugar

  ½ tsp. salt

  ⅛ tsp. nutmeg

  1½ cup white flour

  ¼ cup rice flour

  Directions

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  Place butter in a large bowl. Using a wooden spoon, combine egg, vanilla, sugar, salt, and nutmeg with the butter.

  Mix flours together and then add flour mixture to the egg mixture, ¼ cup at a time, until the mixture is stiff—too stiff to work with a wooden spoon.

  Place half the mixture on a floured board and knead lightly. For best results, place hands in cold water before kneading (as long as you can stand it). Slowly add remaining dough while kneading until dough just begins to crack.

  Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for 20 minutes.